Portable toilet



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PORTABLE TOILET Filed July l5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fm f l 27 $0 VENTOR. M0559? cwQL/SS United States Patent C f 3,289,214 PORTABLE TOILET Robert F. Corliss, Hacienda Heights, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Monogram Industries, Inc., Culver City, Calif.

Filed July 15, 1964, Ser. No. 382,834

8 Claims. (Cl. 4-115) This invention relates generally to portable toilets such as are used in trailers, at outdoor camps and at work sites. More pa-rticularly, the invention concerns a portable tiushing toilet of novel construction characterized in that the entirety of the toilet remains clean and only an easily removable sewage container need be removed periodically for emptying and cleaning.

It is a maj-or object of the invention to provide a portable flushing toilet constructed to properly handle sanitation needs, and offering the advantages of fresh water use for ushing, positive odor and bacteria control, servicing simplicity land overall compactness enabling its use in trailers an-d campers and on job sites. Basically, the toilet comprises `means including a receptacle for flush liquid, a sewage container received downwardly into the receptacle, a toilet Ibowl having a discharge outlet overlying the lower interior of the container, a toilet seat supporting the bowl to depend therebelow with the seat supported for upward removal relative to the receptacle and container, and -means for transferring flush liquid from the receptacle to drain downwardly over the Ibowl upper surface and then through the bowl outlet into the container. With this construction, the container Amay the-n be supported yfor periodic upward withdrawal from the Hush liquid receptacle and emptying after Iremoval or lifting of the seat to displace the bowl outside the upward withdrawal path of the container from the receptacle. The receptacle remains clean because of its clean flush liquid content, the bowl remains clean because of drainage of flush liquid thereover int-o the container, and only the container needs periodic emptying and cleaning, which is readily provided for by the unique and advantageous construction of the toilet. Additional features and objects of the invention include the provision of a iiush liquid lpump having `an .inlet in the lower interior of the clean ilu-sh liquid receptacle, a guide such as a channel concealed beneath the seat and liftablc therewith to -receive flush liquid from the pump and to direct the liquid ow with swirl cleaning effect over the bowl upper surface, a flexible conduit extending from the pump outlet to the channel so as to rem-ain concealed, the provision of a flange on the container to seat downwardly on the receptacle cover about an opening therein, .supports on the -underside of the seat to position the seat and to assist holding of the container in non-oating condition, and the provision for initially flushing liquid into the container to hold it in non-Heating condition.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective showing of a preferred embodiment of the portable toilet;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation taken in section through the FIG. l toilet;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation taken on line 4 4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary showing of toilet locking means.

In the drawings, the receptacle 'tor flush liquid 11 has a bottom 12, curved front wall .13, side walls 14, rear wall reinforced at 15a, and a cover 16, the receptacle 3,289,214 Patented Dec. 6, 1956 ICC `typically .being made of lightweight, thin-walled molded plastic material. rPhe cover 16 is downwardly hanged at its periphery 17 for attachment to the receptacle upright walls, and also forms an opening 18 sized to closely receive a sewage container 19 which is dropped downwardly into the receptacle. The container is peripherally flanged generally horizontally at 20 to seat on the cover 16 about the opening 18, with the bottom wall 21 of the container slightly elevated above the bottom 12 of the receptacle. Also, the typically metallic container has a bail type handle 22 supported within the container so as to be capable of upward hinging at the handle pivots 23 to lift the container for emptying its contents, pivots 23 typically being received through openings in the container .side wall 24.

The portable toilet also includes a lightweight plastic bowl 25 tapering downwardly and havin-g a dis-charge outlet 26 overlying the lower interior of the container 19. The bowl upper periphery Iis flanged at 27 for supporting attachment by suitable fasteners 28 to the underside of a toilet seat 29, all in such manner that the bowl depen-ds from the seat. The seat is in turn hinge supported at 30 to the cover 16 for upward and rearward swinging movernent from its horizontal position seen in FIG. 2, carrying the bowl upwardly and away lfrom the receptacle and container 19, and particularly outside the upward withdrawal path of the container `from the receptacle. A seat lid is shown yat 31 and is also hinged at 3d for swinging movement between the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a horizontal position over the seat.

In accordance with the invention, means is provided for transferring antiseptic flush liquid 11 from the receptacle to drain downwardly over the bowl upper surface 33 and then downwardly through the Ibowl outlet 26 into the container at 34. Typically the flush liquid transferring means includes a pump having an inlet in the lower inte-rior of the receptacle, and also includes a guide concealed beneath the seat to receive ush liquid from the pump and to direct the liquid flow with swirl cleaning effect over the bowl upper surface and relative to the outlet 26 during liquid drainage. In the form of the invention shown, an upright lift pump cylinder 35 is located rearwardly of the container 19, and has a lower inlet 36 controlled by a ball check 37 to admit liquid 11 whenever a piston 3S is lifted in the cylinder, as by elevating the exposed handle 39 of piston rod 39a. Upon downward ,stroking of the lifted handle 39, the ball check 36 closes the inlet, whereupon Ithe liquid admitted into the cylinder is forced thro-ugh a flexible conduit 40 extending between pump cylinder upper outlet 41 land a delivery point 42 concealed beneath seat 29 yet above the bowl upper surface 33. FIG. 3 indicates an opening 40a in cover 16 through which the `exible conduit extends. Seat edge 29a overlaps the opening, for concealment thereof.

Furthermore, in the form of the invention shown the swirl effecting guide comprises a downwardly opening channel 43 extending within the upper interior of the bowl but concealed beneath the seat in FIG. 2. The channel is typically carri-ed as part of the seat and 'bowl assembly .so as to be liftable therewith, the fiexibility of lcon-duit 40 readily accommodating this operation. Also, since the antiseptic liqui-d is delivered to the arcuat channel in :a horizontal direction and under substantial pressure, it -is `guided around the channel in the direction `shown by arrows 51 as it drains therefrom, to produce a `swirl cleaning eiiect over the -bowl surface. Accordingly, it is seen that all of the portable toilet components are easiiy kept clean, a simple and effective flushing cycle is provided, and the sewage container is readily removable for periodic emptying and replacement.

It will also be noted that the toilet Iseat 29 has supports such `as buttons 45 located at the underside thereof to seat on the container yange 20 4for holding the container in non-floating condition in the receptacle, the buttons also supporting the seat since loading is transferred via the container flange tothe cover 16. When the container is placed into the receptacle, the pump may normally be operate-d to transfer some antiseptic flush liquid into the container at 34, such transferred liquid also tending to hold the container in position and to resist floating thereof in receptacle liquid 11.

FIG. 5 illus-trates a modification embodying toilet locking means of unusual construction, function and result, in that the container 19 may be blocked against removal from receptacle 13 by locking the se'at 29 in down posi tion, `the ltoilet then being usable. This prevents unauthorized emptying of the container 19, yas into fresh water 'streams and lakes, whereby practical official control of sewage emptying from a portable toilet may then be established. As lillustrated, a hasp 60 has a connector strip `61 inaccessibly attached at 62 to the underside of the seat 29. A lock strip `6-3 `of the hasp -is hinged at 64 to strip 61, in order that Iit `may pivot inward to receive a locking lug -65 attached at 66 to the receptacle 13, strip 63 cove-ring .screw attachments 66. T-he lug portion projecting through a slot in the strip 63 has Ian opening to reive the arm 67 of a padlock or other type seal 68. Accordingly, the .seat is locked in down position to block upward removal of the sewage container 19, -until such time as the lock 68 is removed.

I claim:

1. In a portable toilet, means including a receptacle for flush liquid tilling the lower interior of the receptacle, a sewage container receive-d downwardly into said receptacle, a toilet bowl having a discharge outlet overlying the lower linterior of the container, a toilet seat supporting sai-d bowl to depend t-herebelow with the .seat supported for upward removal relative to the receptacle and container, means for transferring Hush liquid from the receptacle to drain downwardly yover the upper surface of the bowl and then through said bowl outlet into the container, the container being supported free of the seat and at a concealed location therebeneath for periodic upward withdrawal from the receptacle and emptying after removal of the seat to displace the bowl outside the upward withdrawal path of the container from the receptacle, the lower periphery and bottom of the container downwardly penetrating the flush liquid to upwardly displace said flush liquid about the container, and said iiush liquid transferring means penetrating .said upwardly displaced i'lush liquid between the receptacle and container.

2. In a portable toilet, means incl-uding a receptacle foriiush liquid lling the lower interior of the receptacle, a sewage container received `downwardly into said receptacle, a toilet bowl having a discharge outlet overlying the lower interior of the sewage container, a toilet seat supporting said bowl to depend therebelow with the seat supported for upward removal relative to the receptacle and container, means for transferring flush liquid from the receptacle to drain downwardly over the bowl upper surface yand then through said bowl outlet into the container, said flush liquid transferring means including a pump having an inlet in the lower interior of the receptacle and a guide concealed beneath and integral with the seat to receive iiush liquid `from the pump and to direct the liquid flow with swirl cleaning eliect ove-r the bowl upper surface :and relative to said discharge outlet during said liquid drainage, the lower periphery and 'bottom of the container downwardly penetrating the flush liquid to upwardly displace said -ush liquid about the container, and said iiush liquid-transferring means penetrating said upwardly displaced hush liquid between the receptacle and container the sewage container being supported free of the seat and at a concealed location therebeneath for upward withdrawal from the receptacle and emptying after lifting of the seat to displace the bowl and guide outside the upward withdrawal path of the sewage container from the receptacle.

3. The combination of claim v2 in which said guide comprises a downwardly opening channel extending within the upper interior of the bowl, said flush liquid transferring means including a pump outlet :and a exible cond-uit exten-ding from said pump -outlet to said channel.

4. The combination of claim 3 in whi-ch said rst meansA includes a receptacle cover forming an opening to receive the container, the container having a peripheral iiange to seat on said cover labout said opening.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which the toilet seat has supports locate-d at the underside thereof to seat on said container iiange for holding the container in noniioating condition in the receptacle.

6. The combination of claim 2 in which flush liquid in the receptacle is `antiseptic `and displaced by the container to a higher surface level than the lower surface of the container, the container containing sufficient of said liquid so as to -resist tioating in the receptacle liquid.

7. The combination of claim 5 including means to l-ock said seat in a position to block lupward withdrawal of the container from the receptacle.

8. In `a portable toilet, a flush liquid containing receptacle, a sewage container received downwardly into said receptacle, first means including a toilet seat carried on said receptacle for movement between an up position in which the container may be lifted from the receptacle and a down position in which lifting of the container from the receptacle is ,blocked by said means, and other means to lock s-aid iirst means in said down position, said first means including a toilet bowl having concealed attachment to the underside o-f said seat to be inaccessible when the seat is locked in down position, said bowl spaced horizontally from .said locking means 4and hav-ing a relatively reduced size discharge -outlet within the interior of the container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 33,494 10/ 1861 Robertson c 4-78 1,198,057 9/1916 Ribaysen 4-78 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,273,248 8/1961 France. 1,300,510 6/196'2 France. 1,330,928 5/1963 France.

626,441 7/ 1949 Great Britain. 876,982 9/ 1961 Great Britain.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Pri-mary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PORTABLE TOILET, MEANS INCLUDING A RECEPTACLE FOR FLUSH LIQUID FILLING THE LOWER INTERIOR OF THE RECEPTACLE, A SEWAGE CONTAINER RECEIVED DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID RECEPTACLE, A TOILET BOWL HAVING A DISCHARGE OUTLET OVERLYING THE LOWER INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, A TOILET SEAT SUPPORTING SAID BOWL TO DEPEND THEREBELOW WITH THE SEAT SUPPORTED FOR UPWARD REMOVAL RELATIVE TO THE RECEPTACLE AND CONTAINER, MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING FLUSH LIQUID FROM THE RECEPTACLE TO DRAIN DOWNWARDLY OVER THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE BOWL AND THEN THROUGH SAID BOWL OUTLET INTO THE CONTAINER, THE CONTAINER BEING SUPPORTED FREE OF THE SEAT AND AT A CONCEALED LOCATION THEREBENEATH AND EMPTYING AFTER REMOVAL OF THE SEAT TO DISPLACE THE BOWL OUTSIDE THE UPWARD WITHDRAWL PATH OF THE CONTAINER FROM THE RECIPTACLE, THE LOWER PERIPHERY AND BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER DOWNWARDLY PENETRATING THE FLUSH LIQUID TO UPWARDLY DISPLACE SAID FLUSH LIQUID ABOUT THE CONTAINER, AND SAID FLUSH LIQUID TRANSFERRING MEANS PENETRATING SAID UPWARDLY DISPLACED FLUSH LIQUID BETWEEN THE RECEPTACLE AND CONTAINER. 